Irieness, bredren and sistren! It's ya island gyal, Nita or Mary Ann once again for anotha much awaited post of "Dem Reggea Classic." Since it's tha special month of Obeah (Black Magic/Voodoo), Jambiez (Zombies) and Loupgaro (Werewolves). I've decided to share a bit in the festivities with a much harder song to understand to take main spotlight of this installment. Thankfully I understand what this artist is saying but I won't break down all the lyrics in great detail because initial reactions are always funny when I share this song with friends. Personally I'd rather you guys listen to the song first before reading my "translation."

Now you are all probably familiar with the name Barnabas Collins. He was the main character on the old American Gothic soap opera "Dark Shadows" in the late-60s/early-70s, who is as you would know a vampire. Played by Ontario, Canadian born Jonathan Frid, he exuded a character of impeccable homage to true vampire complexities. A great classic show that I find never gets old, timeless as it is entertaining. On another note - for those of you who only know the dreaded Burton remake and instantly thought about that, please give yourself a nice big slap on the face. That movie is horrible and nothing but a frustrating hit and miss. So please, slap yourself.

Tim Burton and Quentin Tarantino have great taste in being fans, alas Burton you have failed on this in my eyes.

So where is this all going? Well in the Caribbean the show held much popularity and a huge following. The character, Barnabas Collins (affectionately referred to as Barnie) because of his personality inspired many talented artists to create songs dedicated to him as well as vampire culture as a whole. Vampiya is now considered regular slang for simply, 'a very bad person.' So some songs while not obvious still hold roots to darker feelings of the human physiology instead of romantic whims of mumbling lovestruck females.

And herein is where I plug my third favorite Reggea song ever. A comical imitation, caricature and satire towards the famous character sung by The Lone Ranger, who is a born Jamaican Reggea DJ. He currently has 11 albums, his most recent record called "Sweet Talking" (2010) and my favorite, "Barnabas In Collins Wood" (1979). There are two recordings to this song, but the one below is my preferred. WARNING: You may not even understand half of what he's saying. So I explained most of it in short.

"I thirst!

This musical song's called Barnabas Collins. So you got to be good to the Collins, baby. Awhoa!

So now, he come around the night, say around midnight.

So when he comes don't fight. (So when e come fi broke no fight - Haha, he's broke of blood.)

So gyal I beg ya, Out the light

Lock your door tight,

Barnabas will come and take one bite (Barnabas a come fi go tek one bite)

It was a dreadful sight how he bit sister rit'

You should have heard her bawl, "JESUS CHRIST!" (Yo shouda 'ere she bauwl)

Take time Barnie,

Ya you better, take time Barnie.

So when it's 12' o'clock,

He'll come of his box (Ma 'e come-out a em box)

He'll fly around the town and you'll see him come around,

And then disappearing in a tall black gown,

They don't call me 'The Count' for nothing,

Biting like The Count, Dracula Ah, Ah, Ah.

They say his eyes get redder and his ear start drither,

His teeth get longer and they get starstruck, (Star fell struck.)

When they fall upon the scene, you hear a girl start screaming, (When de faoul upon da scene, e're gyal start screame)

So take time Barnie, ya you better take time Barnie

Out the candle, take off your bangle (necklace),

Turn your neck at the right angle,

Yeah, he's the best of the business, ( 'Im a de bessie na ne de busni)

And given the month, I've also decided to make this a bit of a learning experience about mythical creatures that I've come to know from one side of my cultural heritage. The roots of my family come from experiencing farm life within sugar cane plantations where it was very easy to get lost. A lot of the mysticism comes from South American Aboriginal Natives, the freed African slaves, abundance of French immersion as well at Indian culture. So basically a boiling pot of folklore inspired from different races.

The most popular creature is the Soucouyant or Suckuya told from those of French/African roots, who lives as an old woman by day but sheds her wrinkled skin and puts it in a pestle at night. She usually lives around the edge of a village and has sold her soul to the devil to suck on the blood of big animals and human legs. She flies in the shape of a fireball looking for victims and can enter houses through keyholes, cracks or crevices this way. It's said that if she drinks all of a humans blood till death, she can assume their skin during only that same night.

In order to kill a Soucouyant one must enter the old hags' home when she has left for feasting and sprinkle salt on her human skin until it starts to shrink, thus making her unable to fit back into it and die in the morning.

Old people talk: If you wish to discover who the Soucouyant is empty 100 lbs of rice at the village crossroads where she will be compelled to pick them up, one grain at a time - that is how you'll know the identity of the being.

Nowadays in Trinidad, if somebody walks around with a hickie (soukie) on his neck, he may get remarks from his friends like: " Eh, Eh, Soucoyant suck yuh or wha ? " They also inspire costumes for Halloween.

A Chooryle is the spirit of a pregnant woman who died in childbirth or committed suicide during. She has long, unbound hair usually covering her face. She dresses in white and holds a bloodied unborn fetus or a crying newborn baby in her arms. In the night she wails as her child cries for milk she doesn't have. If she holds an unborn fetus she gets unsuspecting victims by waiting until the dead of night and making the sound of a crying child outside of a window. Anyone who looks out of the window will be taken with her.

She watches very enviously and will continuously follow a pregnant woman for months until ultimately possessing her. It is said that she is the reason for miscarriages but depending on her jealousy can try to rip out the child out of the womb through possession. Each Chooryle is different with their own personalities though all just as erratic. If a Chooryle sees a man abusing his wife or neglecting his children, she will find a way to kill him, the woman being less likely to get possessed if she comes from such a household. Originating from those of East Indian heritage.

Silk Cotton Trees are regarded with much awe, reverence and fear as they are believed to have spirits and ghosts closed within. It can grow to a height of more than 200 feet and its widely spreading branches often forms a crown measuring 140 feet in diameter. They are used to make coffins though it's rare to ever see anyone completely cut the whole tree down in fear that a resident spirit may go free. It is known as the Devil Tree by Aborigine's. The trees are huge enough to fit the homeless so it's not a rare sight to see them living underneath the roots. It is said that if a Witch Doctor puts a nail through a Silk Tree, he can summon an evil spirit to rip the soul out of a persons body and trap them into the very tree.

Superstitions

Do not pass a knife or pepper to anyone- it will cause you to have an argument with them.

Always turn your back to the inside of the house when opening the door at night, that way the spirits that have followed you home, will see your face and will not enter.

Never say a child is heavy - only dead people are heavy.

If you want to see a spirit, put wax from a dog's eye into yours.

A brown spider in your house, means you will get money.

If the palm of your right hand itches, you will lose money. If the palm of your left hand itches, you will gain money.

A butterfly in the house means good luck

If you play with your shadow, you will get bad dreams.

When someone close to you dies, cover all the mirrors in your house with black cloth until after they are buried, otherwise you will see them in it.

If your right eye jumps, you will see someone you have not seen in a long time.

Happy Halloween to all my lovely followers!

Assassinita, Mary Ann or simply Nita for short is your average Canadian lady incognito who loves hockey, traveling and a good laugh. With a playful personality and capricious hobbies, it's not hard to keep this one satisfied. But watch out for the blade, the bloodlust can make even the sweetest go mental...